Entertainment Expense

My fiance and I are trying to save money to buy a house in the future but we need to start saving!!!!!!!!!! We enjoy going out to the movies, out to eat. etc.. What is the normal or best way to save money if you enjoy doing these things. Should we go out atleast twice a month to save money?

Re: Entertainment Expense

You can also look for things to do that are not going to be as expensive. Look for free or low-cost events.

Go out for dessert instead of dinner.

Put aside a set amount to spend each month for entertainment, so you are not more tempted to go overboard because it's there.

Have people over for pot-lucks.

Netflix can also be your new friend!

Good luck!

Re: Entertainment Expense

The best way is to set a budget of how much you are going to spend on that stuff per month, and stick to it.

However, DH and I didn't actually do that. When we decided that we really needed to cut down, we simply started going out less. I cut out concerts and bway shows completely, and we go to the movies much less frequently. We order in at most once per week these days, and if we do, it's usually something inexpensive like pizza or falafel. Also, when we do go out to a restaurant, we try not to drink or have dessert.

Re: Entertainment Expense

Another pointer is to just keep track of how much you spend on the "little things" each day. Coffee, gum & mints, snacks...........they all add up.

Only take out a set amount for this stuff.

Make a grocery budget too and stick to it.

Also say you are used to going grocery shopping every week.........go every 2 weeks instead and try to use up all you have in your fridge/pantries.


If one of you is able to save all your paychecks and live on one person's income, I know many people who saved for their downpayment this way.

Re: Entertainment Expense

Thanks ladies for all of your advice. I do have a problem with dunkin donuts ice coffe in the morning to get my day started. The social worker in my school brought a new coffe maker so we can stop going out to dunkin donuts in the morning and save. Also, i start back bringing my lunch to work everyday. Also, we may make tonight a blockbuster night to cut down. Also, I am going to shop what's on sale in the supermarket circular to save. Funny story, when my mom use to go to the cashier with coupons I was so embarrassed. My dad always told me that one day I will learn to value a dollar and can I tell you that I am. That day has come and I am learning everyday from my makes. I have been also teaching an after school program in my school to save and cut back. It's hard to save ladies. However, saving money is my new year resoultion!!! hopefully, I will stick my plan and budget more.

Re: Entertainment Expense

sorry for the grammatical errors. I didn't realize that I was typing so fast as I was explaining my story.

Re: Entertainment Expense

We don't do this (and we probably should), but I know my mom and my MIL were always the main ones in charge of the $$$$.

Meaning, that my dad and my husband's dad gave their checks to their wives and she paid all their bills and then gave them their "allowance".

I am in charge of paying our bills, but I feel that my husband spends more freely then I do on many unnecessary items. He owns his own business with his best friend so it's harder for me to have more say over the $$$. Maybe that's another thread though!!

Re: Entertainment Expense

Going to the movies twice a month? That can certainly hurt a savings plan... with popcorn, drinks, candy...it adds up.

Along with the other suggestions given, I highly recommend setting up automatic transfers into your savings account. Do just a little more than you would feel comfortable with. Schedule it to come out the day your direct deposit hits and you won't even feel it. You'll be surprised how quickly your savings start to add up.

Re: Entertainment Expense

Growing up my dad use to do the same thing, which is handing the money over to my mom and she will give him an allowance for the week. We are doing that now but when the money goes in my hand sometimes half of it goes into my account. But I will become more aware of where the money is going and cut down. Thanks for your advice. Sometimes we need to hear it from someone else to take more things serious.

Re: Entertainment Expense

Alternatives to going out

- Take out: bring food home and buy your own bottles/drink. Wine or drinks are expensive at restaurant
- movies: cheaper to order a movie channel and get your own popcorn for a movie night. Set the night. Get the popcorn, snacks, sodas, etc.. ready and make it a movie night
- Set a budget adn stick to it

We don't go out ALL the time but treat ouselves to a "nicer" restaurant when we go. Usually once every 3 months.

Other cutting:
Bring lunch at work
Don't forget your own soda can, water bottles and/snacks (vending machines are a killer!)
Buy a bag of coffee from DD. That way you can still have DD but it's not as expensive
I avoid my "dangerous" stores.

Re: Entertainment Expense

How often do you go out to eat now? Can you do Blockbuster online or Netflix to save money? We go to the movies every few months, but we do the Blockbuster online so we get our movie fix every weekend. We usually go out to eat once or twice a month, and usually do pizza or takeout once a week. The movies gets to be pricey...I'd limit it to once a month and limit the movie snacks/drinks if you are really looking to save.

Re: Entertainment Expense

DH cut back to going out to dinner to 1x a month and ordering dinner in 1x a month. We only see movies we're dying to see, and save the others for HBO. In this sense, we spend about $50/month going out. And if we know one month we'll be spending more out - like going into NYC, we'll be sure to watch ourselves the month before to save up.

Re: Entertainment Expense

Going out twice a month even seems like a bit much ...... I mean, if you are taking movies in the full blown way....it adds up, fast.

Also, Blockbuster has gotten very expensive.

DH and I would rather just buy movies that we really love, knowing that we can watch them again and again, at home.

I would look into inexpensive, or free things to do. I don't know where you are located but LI is filled with awesome towns that are fun to walk through and window shop. When DH and I were dating (before marriage and the baby) we enjoyed just packing up a picnic lunch (or dinner/dessert) and finding a nice place to go for an outside picnic...

Re: Entertainment Expense

You can rent DVDs from the library. My BIL is a librarian and he says they usually get the new releases.